Believe
by Ceggle143
Summary: What if Abby's only request of Santa was to get the man of her dreams? Rated M for Things to Come. No pun intended. Maybe.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or any of the characters or storylines, ditto, ditto, etc etc. I just like to pretend sometimes. :)  
**

**Time frame: After season 9 finale, so big BOOM has happened.  
**

Abby's lab was decorated to the nines with all sorts of Christmas decorations, from the traditional to the Abby-ified, as Tony liked to call it. She was dancing around her lab listening to a cover of _Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree_ that Plastic Death had made for a recent Christmas album. Her three-inch black platform boots pounded heavily with each dance move as she twirled between the Major and her computer.

"What have ya' got, Abbs?" Gibbs came up from behind, ignoring the loud and difficult-to-understand lyrics and music that blasted from the speakers.

Abby pressed the volume button so the music became a low beat. "Hey, Gibbs! I've got the new Christmas album from Plastic Death! I really like their version of _Have a Holly Jolly Christmas;_ you should stay and listen to it!"

"Abbs… the case." He nodded at the computer as if waiting for it to tell him an important answer while the forensic scientist continued to ramble.

"Right! So I found this partial thumbprint on the seatbelt in the back of the car, which is kind of weird, if you think about, cuz why would there be a person in the back if there was only the driver? I mean, wouldn't that person want to take the front passenger seat? And since the Petty Officer was single and didn't go out much, it's unlikely he would have had anyone else sitting back there at any point…"

"Abbs."

"The thumbprint was a match to the Petty Officer's brother-in-law."

"And the brother-in-law claimed he hadn't seen Officer Hughes in three years, even though the car was only bought two months ago."

"Yup!" Abby's grin widened as Gibbs held out a Caf-Pow! which she gladly took.

Gibbs was halfway out the door when Abby called back to him, "Gibbs! Are you coming to the tree lighting?"

The staff had decided to raise money for charity by hosting a small tree lighting on the front lawn, complete with Santa Claus, with whom pictures could be taken for donated money.

"Not sure, Abbs."

"But the money goes to the Wounded Warrior Project! We should get a photo with Santa together!" Abby jumped up and down excitedly, seemingly weighed down by her boots.

Gibbs cocked his head slightly and gave her a half-smirk. "I'm a little big for his lap."

"Well you can stand next to him then. I fit perfectly on all laps." She wagged her eyebrows at him. "Or we could just skip Santa and I'll sit on your lap for a picture."

"I'll be there, Abby. But just to donate. Not to get my picture taken."

She pouted at him, but shrugged and quickly wiped the frown from her face, instead smiling broadly. "I'll see you there!"

Gibbs smiled for a moment before turning on his heel and walking briskly to the elevator. He let the doors close before he leaned tiredly against the side of the elevator. It was getting more and more difficult not to give in to Abby's flirting; he knew she was just having fun, and he wasn't sure how she would react if he took it too far. With a sigh, he stood up straight and waited for the elevator door to re-open.

The afternoon found several of the NCIS staff on the front lawn, many of whom were drinking hot chocolate that had been handed out just outside the door, or who were singing along with the Christmas music that was playing on some nearby speakers that had been rigged up beside the tree. Abby, McGee, Tony and Ziva all stood together in their winter coats, each sipping hot chocolate.

"I wonder if they'd let me put in my new Plastic Death CD?" Abby wondered aloud as the other three turned to her with wide, worried eyes.

"Uh, ya' know, Abby, I think this was a pre-arranged CD that was approved by one of the other alphabets. Something about copyright restrictions or whatnot." Tony fumbled over an excuse to keep the goth from forcing the crowd to listen to her favorite music.

"Oh. That sucks." Abby frowned as she sipped on the hot chocolate. Her train of thought suddenly changed as Ducky and Palmer joined them, each bundled up and holding cups of hot chocolate.

"Hello, all! Has anything exciting happened yet?" Ducky greeted the team as he blew on the hot chocolate and took a tentative sip.

"Nothing yet, but as soon as I finish my hot chocolate I'm gonna get my picture taken with Santa! Anyone else wanna come?" Abby looked from one agent to the next in anticipation.

The others glanced over at the line for Santa, where many of the staff members' children were lined up with their parents. Each of the agents began to talk at once, each giving a different reason for not having their picture taken.

She stuck out her tongue at the group, "Fine, I'm gonna go stand in line! At least I'll get what I want for Christmas since I'll be the only one who tells Santa." Abby grinned widely before she began to down the remainder of the hot chocolate in preparation of sitting on Santa's lap.

"Well, Abby, I'm sure if this year's Secret Santa knows you, you'll get what you want." Palmer sipped at his own hot chocolate, still attempting to cool it down.

"But there's the chance that they won't! Back up is always good, Jimmy."

"Um, sure, Abbs."

"Don't you believe in Santa, Palmer?"

"Course not. I'm an adult."

"I believe in Santa." Abby stared at him as Tony, McGee and Ziva watched on with amusement.

Palmer stuttered a bit, "Well, I mean, I don't believe in him… li-literally. I mean, figuratively he… um, well, I believe in the idea…"

Abby smiled at his ramble and without bothering to listen any longer, ran off toward the line.

Tony turned to Ziva, "So what do you want for Hanukkah?" He grinned and wagged his eyebrows at her, "A hot Italian perhaps?"

"I thought Italian subs were served cold." Ziva smiled back as McGee laughed at Tony's sour expression.

Gibbs appeared behind them. "DiNozzo throws his in the microwave."

McGee's laugh was suddenly much louder and was joined by Ziva who had to wipe tears from the corners of her eyes from the force of her laughter.

Tony smirked uneasily, "Good one, boss."

"Where's Abby?" Gibbs looked around at his extended team, expecting to find the bouncy forensic scientist in the center of the group.

Ducky nodded towards the Santa line. "Our Young Abigail has decided to join the ranks of the staff children in asking Santa Claus for her Christmas present."

Gibbs followed Ducky's gaze and smirked at the sight of the parents surrounded by young, screaming children, with Abby in the middle of it, stuck out like an apple in a trick-or-treat bag. "I should've guessed."

Abby was getting more and more excited as she neared Santa Claus, but she was having problems deciding on what she wanted to ask for for Christmas. She didn't need any new collars, Bert was plenty enough stuffed companion for her, and she knew it was unrealistic to ask Santa for new equipment that would have to be paid for by NCIS. What else did she want?

A sudden thought occurred and she scanned through the crowd near the tree, her eyes landing almost immediately on him. Santa probably couldn't get her what she _really_ wanted. Though if anyone could do it, it would be Santa. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask…

Gibbs glanced over his shoulder, away from his team members, who were now discussing famous Christmas movies, mostly led by DiNozzo, when he noticed Abby was next to see Santa. Maybe he should go surprise her and take a picture with her. Standing next to the man they'd hired to play Santa, of course, not actually on his lap. He turned quickly and made a beeline for the back of Santa's chair so he could surprise Abby. He shocked himself at how whimsical he was feeling today. Abby always seemed to bring out that side of him.

Abby was already next to Santa, preparing to sit, when he neared, so Gibbs walked a bit faster so he could time it just right. As he rounded the chair and started to come up behind it, he slowed as he heard Abby talking to the costumed man.

"See, Santa, what I want for Christmas may be a bit…difficult."

Gibbs halted behind the chair, curious to hear the rest, and unsure whether she would continue if he joined them.

"There's this… guy. Man, really. And well, I've loved him for a very, _very _long time now. But it's super complicated, I mean, like, Organic Chemistry mixed with Bioengineering mixed with Cosmic Karma kind of complicated."

Gibbs' heart rate suddenly increased in an unsteady palpitation as he drew a deep breath, attempting to steady the beat once more.

"You probably know who I'm talking about, and it's safer if I don't say who given where we are right now. Cuz everyone knows this man. I mean, like, _everyone _everyone. Even if they don't _know_ him know him, they know him. Ya know? So I guess what I'd really like this Christmas is to know how he feels about me. Well, okay, I might not wanna know if he only sees me as, like, a daughter, but then I suppose I wouldn't want to know at all because then if I don't find out, then I'll know he does see me as a daughter since that's the only other thing it would be. So I guess I only want to know if he does also love me. Like, as a lover, not as a daughter. Because if he doesn't love me like that, then I don't actually want to hear the words, I'll just figure it out on my own. It's a lot to ask, but, other than world peace and whatnot, it's the only thing I really want this year. Oh, and maybe those kick-ass skull knee socks that I saw at Hot Topic. Cuz my left sock from my other pair has gone missing."

Gibbs heard the photographer cue Abby and Santa to smile, but he remained frozen, turning over in his head what he'd just heard. "…If he sees me as a daughter…" Could she mean…? Gibbs swallowed the lump in his throat. If his gut was correct, she felt exactly the same way he felt. But now he had to actually do something about it. And that…that was going to require a Christmas miracle.


	2. Chapter 2

**So this actually started out as a one-shot and has obviously grown. So we'll see how many chapters come from this storyline. Also: usual disclaimers here. I own nothing, blah blah. **

The next few days sped by as the team was assigned a case involving a lieutenant who had run off after accidentally shooting a co-worker following a prank gone wrong. Tony had noticed that Gibbs had looked pointedly at him after that realization.

The night of the twenty-third was suddenly upon the team as they finished up their reports on the case, each silently (or in Tony's case, not so silently) pleased that they had wrapped everything up before Christmas Eve.

Gibbs sat in silence at his desk as each member of his team began to finish their respective paper and shut down their computers for the holiday.

"Four whole days off," Tony sighed happily. "Thank goodness for the years when Christmas Eve and Day are on a Thursday and Friday."

"Yeah and it'll be a Christmas miracle if we can get through the entire holiday without being called in for a case." Tim shook his head.

"Don't jinx it, McPessimistic!" Tony hissed at his co-worker as he pulled on his wool coat.

The computer expert shrugged, tapping the power button on his monitor.

Ziva stood from her desk and stretched before reaching for her coat. "Hanukkah is almost over, so it does not really matter to me."

Tony glanced over at his partner, "Are you still good for dinner tomorrow?"

"Yes, I do not have anything else that I am doing. Is your father still coming?"

Tony snorted lightly, "Who knows? At least we'll have some delectable Italian either way." He turned back to Tim, "Let us know if your plans with Sarah fall through. There will be plenty to go around."

Tim nodded, "Sarah's pretty reliable, but I'll call if something happens."

Tony began to walk away from his desk, but paused and looked back at his boss, who was still silent and still in his chair. "Boss…"

"I'm good, DiNozzo. Got plans." Gibbs interrupted him, though he did not bother to look up at his Senior Field Agent.

"Right, Boss." Tony nodded, not really believing Gibbs, but willing to pretend to make him happy.

The three filed into the elevator, chatting excitedly about the holiday to come.

Gibbs leaned back in his chair. He wasn't lying to DiNozzo; he did have plans. He and Abby had made dinner plans for Christmas Eve weeks before after Abby had confessed that Luca and Kyle were both unavailable this year, already having plans with others. Abby had already had her family Christmas the previous weekend, so Gibbs had offered to host her and his house. He'd already put clean sheets on the guest bed and had done the small amount of tidying up that had been required, which mostly involved dusting and vacuuming.

Ever since the fundraiser, however, he had been unsure of whether it was a good idea for Abby to stay over. Gibbs had plainly heard her confess feelings for a man that sounded very much like himself. Knowing that her feelings might be the same as his after all these years might make it even more difficult to sleep at night. And even if she did feel the same way, he could never allow anything to happen between them. In the end, Abby would get hurt and he would be alone. At least now he had her friendship, even if he ached for more.

Gibbs toyed with the idea of telling Abby something had come up, but he knew how disappointed she would be that they wouldn't be spending Christmas together. That and she would end up alone on Christmas. It was one thing for him to be alone, but another thing entirely for Abby to be alone on one of her favorite holidays. His thoughts were interrupted by the elevator doors opening, revealing a grinning, pigtailed goth who bounded in with an armful of Christmas bags that each had various colors of tissue paper streaming from their openings.

"Busy day, Abbs?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow at the bags.

"Not really since I'd already finished most of my paperwor- oh, you mean these?" She lifted her arms which acted as a large rack for the gift bags. "This arm," she lifted the right arm, stacked with about ten different bags, "are gifts for me from other staff members. This arm," she lifted the left arm, stacked with about a dozen bags, "are gifts for the children's group home where the nuns sometimes volunteer. Some of the ladies in HR donated them. I'm gonna run them by the church when I leave here in a few minutes. I just wanted to check to make sure we're still a-go for tomorrow!" Abby's pigtails swung exuberantly as she talked, unable to remain still from the excitement of Christmas.

"Going to the store tonight." Gibbs nodded succinctly.

"Great! I'm gonna bring some stuff to make cookies, and maybe some ingredients for jambalaya, unless you think it's too weird to make jambalaya for Christmas, and you'd rather stick to a traditional ham or turkey or ham _and_ turkey kind of menu. Although we don't have to eat ham or turkey or ham _and_ turkey for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Dinner. Cuz some people do a big dinner on one night and not the other. Like, when I was a kid we always had a big dinner on Christmas Day, but some of my friends always had a big dinner on Christmas Eve and then had leftovers on Christmas Day cuz they were so busy opening presents and visiting family, ya know?"

Gibbs smirked at Abby, his head cocked slightly as he watched his favorite scientist ramble on. "Fine with anything, Abbs."

Abby's smile returned, "Okay, then! We said four o'clock tomorrow, right? Cuz I'm fine for whenever, unless later is better for you-"

Gibbs cut off her potential rambling, "Four is fine. We can order take out tomorrow, then do a big dinner on Christmas Day."

"Sounds good! See you tomorrow, Gibbs!" With a last brief smile, Abby practically skipped from the bullpen, leaving Gibbs to wonder how on earth she could move so quickly in so heavy-looking shoes.

Abby found Gibbs in the kitchen when she arrived the next afternoon. "I thought we were doing take out tonight?"

"We are. I'm putting this marinade on the turkey to let it soak overnight."

"Oh, Gibbs, how domestic of you!" Abby giggled, peering down at the turkey. "I thought marinades were mostly for beef and chicken?"

He shrugged. "Poultry's poultry."

"Can't argue with that." Abby set a bag on the counter. "So I decided against the jambalaya for now since you already have the turkey. But I did bring ingredients to make my famous Peanut Butter Kiss cookies."

"Sounds tasty."

"They are! But you get the wonderful job of unwrapping the Hershey's Kisses." Abby grinned at him. "I'm sure you have a great deal of experience with kisses, hmm?" The grin had turned mischievous.

Gibbs bit back a flirty retort; it was a bad idea to start down that road just before she spent the night for Christmas. "I think my cooking skills are good enough for candy wrapper duty."

Abby's grin faltered for a moment, but she recovered and shot him a genuine smile. "Then I think now is as good a time as any to begin the baking process!" She opened a couple of the cupboards. "Gibbs, do you have any mixing bowls?"

Without a word he opened a cabinet just below him, revealing what appeared to be a large cereal bowl.

Abby stared at it for a moment. "Good thing I brought some of my own."

Gibbs chuckled as she ducked from the room to go looking for her bag of cookware.


	3. Chapter 3

**Funny story... I definitely uploaded this last night and then forgot to post it. So, double dose!**

Gibbs was halfway through unwrapping the Hershey's Kisses when Abby pulled the first batch from the oven. "Help me put the Kisses in the cookies, Gibbs!"

Gibbs stood, picking up the bowl of unwrapped candies to set down next to the cookie sheet of warm peanut butter cookies. He smooshed a candy into the center of one of the cookies, pressing it down lightly so that the edges of the browned batter rose around the Kiss in a protective circle.

"Gibbs, I didn't know you knew how to make these!" Abby gaped up at him in surprise, now a few inches shorter than him in her sock-feet.

He shrugged, "Not hard, Abbs." He pushed another chocolate into a second cookie lightly. "Used to make them all the time."

Abby paused, leaving a Kiss partially pushed into a cookie. "You mean…with…"

"With Kelly." Gibbs plucked another candy from the bowl and set it with a push into another cookie, holding it for a moment as the base melted slightly from the remaining warmth.

"I…I'm sorry, Gibbs. I didn't mean to – I mean- I wanted to- I mean…" Abby stumbled over herself, trying to think of a way to tell him that she didn't want to bring up memories that would make him retreat further into himself; that she wanted him to make new memories, memories that were happy, with her.

"It's okay, Abbs." Gibbs placed a chocolate in each of the remaining cookies, one right after the other. Finished, he looked over at her. "They're good cookies."

She stood frozen in place as he leaned over and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Taking the bowl back with him, he sat back at the kitchen table and began unwrapping more chocolates. "Might wanna go ahead and take those off the sheet to cool."

Abby forced herself to pick up the spatula and started sliding it under two cookies at a time, moving the still-falling-apart cookies to the cooling rack she had brought with her in anticipation of Gibbs' lack of baking tools. Once finished she began to scoop a second batch of dough onto the cookie sheet, working in the tense silence that had prevailed in the room.

Abby placed the next batch in the oven and set the timer to eight minutes. Turning around towards Gibbs, she studied his quiet figure and sat in the chair next to him.

"Want something, Abby?" Gibbs tore the wrapper from a Kiss and threw it into the trash can that sat beside him on the floor.

"I just- are you…okay?"

"Always."

Abby frowned at him. "You don't seem okay."

Gibbs placed another unwrapped chocolate in the bowl and looked up at her. "I am."

"Gibbs…" Abby hesitated, "I just want you to be happy for Christmas. I know you're not crazy about the holiday, for obvious reasons, but I was hoping…" She took a deep breath, thinking through what to say, "I was hoping we could make some better memories. Ones that wouldn't hurt so much. And if I'd known about the cookies I never would have brought them. I would've found something else entirely for us to do. Something that you wouldn't have done – but I'm not really sure what that would have been. It's hard to know. I thought maybe some movies, but I don't know what you would want to watch and-"

"Abbs." Gibbs interrupted her, still calmly watching her. "It's okay." He studied her expression, and suddenly felt the urge to open up to her a little, "Kelly loved peanut butter cookies. Every year at Christmas Shannon made these, and Kelly always wanted me to help put the Kisses in the cookies when they came out. She and Shan always joked it was the only baking I could do." He smiled wistfully at the memory. "And they were right. But it's okay. I've missed it."

Abby looked at him tentatively, and then smiled a small, unsure smile. "Okay. I think you've probably unwrapped enough candy by now." She nodded down at the bowl which was brimming with chocolate.

"Then I'll help you put some more in now." Gibbs stood just as the buzzer on the oven went off.

The cookies were all made and were cooling, and Abby and Gibbs had placed the leftover unwrapped Kisses in a bowl on the coffee table, into which Abby kept reaching as they watched the original _Miracle on 34__th__ Street_.

"Abbs, why don't you just eat some of the cookies?" Gibbs smirked at her from his end of the couch.

"Because those are for after dinner! Besides, I don't wanna spoil my dinner."

Gibbs' smirk grew into one of the smiles she loved so much but rarely saw. "And eating those isn't considered spoiling your dinner?"

"Course not. The carbs in the cookies would fill up my stomach. These Kisses by themselves aren't as filling so I won't be satisfied and full when the Chinese gets here. The Kisses alone leave me wanting."

"Kisses by themselves tend to do that." Gibbs retorted, then immediately regretted it, forgetting that he was trying not to flirt.

Abby grinned up at him suddenly, surprised in his return to his flirty behavior. It had vanished in the last week or so. The only things that had remained were his hugs and kisses on the cheek. "That's why they're more of an appetizer or a dessert."

Gibbs' smirk was gone, and in its place was his trademark stony expression. Abby's grin vanished as she realized he was no longer continuing the flirty banter. "Is something wrong, Gibbs?"

Gibbs shook his head, "No. Just fine."

Abby stared down the couch at him. "You got really quiet all of a sudden."

"Good part of the movie." Gibbs nodded over at the TV which was just going on commercial. Gibbs cursed himself silently in his head.

Abby continued to stare over at him. "Gibbs, what's wrong? You've been really off this last week or so. You're acting really distant. I mean…ya know, more so than usual. Is it because of Christmas? You've done this before, but not this badly. Why now? Why this year?"

Abby's eyes were filled with concern and fear. Gibbs hated that expression; it meant there was something he could have done to prevent her from hurting, and he had failed. "Didn't mean to be distant, Abby."

"Why has it been worse?" Abby pushed a little further, hoping he would open up again like he had earlier that day.

Gibbs cocked his head, debating on giving in and telling her that he'd overheard her request from Santa. "Abbs-" He was cut off as the doorbell rang, making Abby jump a little from the sudden noise.

"Chinese is here." Gibbs stood, grateful for an excuse to get away from the conversation and have more time to think.

Abby sighed to herself as she watched Gibbs cross the room and open the door. Frigid wind blew into the room as the door swung open, revealing a small pile of snow just outside on the porch. The conversation forgotten, Abby leapt from the couch at the sight of the snow. "Snow!"

"Yeah, it's not too bad right now. Thank goodness this is my last delivery," the delivery boy nodded at the food as he handed over the bag and took the money from Gibbs.

"Keep the change. Drive safe." Gibbs nodded back at the teenager who did a half-salute and carefully crunched through the snow and down the steps.

"They weren't calling for snow, were they?" Abby joined Gibbs at the still-open front door.

"Not that I know of."

"It's so pretty!" Abby leaned out the door to get a better view. "Looks like there's about an inch. That's not bad for Virginia. Though remember a few years ago when we had that mini blizzard? I think we got more than the rest of the state, which isn't hard to believe, given we're the northern-most point, so the furthest from the Equator-"

"Abby, food?" Gibbs held up the bag which had small splotches of grease towards the bottom.

"Oh, right!" Abby pulled herself back in and closed the door. "Did they include chopsticks?"

**Had a bad day at work, so reviews would be so awesome. :) Thanks for the follows! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Please note: I posted two chapters in one day, so although alerts won't show that two chapters were added, both three and four were just updated.**

Abby broke open her fortune cookie, and pulled out the small slip of paper, reading it aloud, "If a turtle has no shell, is he homeless or naked?" She giggled, and then turned somber, "Actually, he'd be dead, because turtles can't live without their shells. That's such a sad and strange fortune. What's your fortune say, Gibbs?"

Gibbs cracked open the other fortune cookie and pulled out the slip, reading it silently first rather than aloud.

"Gibbs, what's it say?"

Rather than read it to her, he handed her the slip and began to clean up the containers. Abby looked down at the paper and read it loudly as if announcing it to a room full of people, "Know that you are not alone." Her voice got quiet as she finished the statement, and she looked up expecting to see Gibbs but found that he was no longer in the room.

"Gibbs?" Abby called through the house.

"In here, Abbs." Gibbs' voice echoed from the kitchen, where she found him scrubbing the cookie sheet.

"Leave that for later. It's not going anywhere." Abby smiled at him.

Gibbs shrugged. "Won't take but a minute." Just as he said it, he finished rinsing it off and placed it in the dish drainer. "Want a cookie?"

Abby shook her head. "I'm gonna wait for a while. I'm stuffed from the Lo Mein." She nodded toward the living room. "Rudolph is on next."

"Never cared much for the cartoons." Gibbs dried his hands on a dish towel and grabbed a beer from the fridge. "Beer?"

"Yeah, sure." Abby accepted the bottle already in his hand as he reached for another to replace his. "Gibbs, you never finished what you were going to say before the food arrived."

He swallowed a mouthful of beer before responding. "Don't remember what I was gonna say."

"Don't lie, Gibbs. Have more respect for me than that."

Gibbs studied her for a moment before walking back into the living room, Abby following close behind. He took another swallow of beer. "I was going to say that I wasn't trying to be distant. I just thought the tone of some of the things we'd been saying lately was getting out of hand. Too unprofessional." He tried to make it sound as nonchalant as possible. He didn't want it to seem like he acknowledged it as flirting, but rather, just as jokes that had been taken too far. "If someone walked in, they'd think something was going on."

Abby remained standing as Gibbs sat back on the right side of the couch. "After almost 10 years, now you're worried about how our conversations could be misconstrued?"

"Times have changed, Abbs. People take things more seriously now."

"No, they don't. Not in NCIS. Not anymore than they did before. So why is it different now? Why won't you joke with me now? Why do you remain stony-faced when I make a joke? You used to enjoy them, take them in stride, even return the tone. What's changed in the last two weeks?" Abby stared him down, her beer still full in her hand.

"Abby…" Gibbs used his do-what-I-say voice as he contemplated how to avoid admitting that he knew how she felt.

"No, don't 'Abby' me," she mimicked his use of her name. "_What's changed, Gibbs?_" Abby's voice grew louder, more urgent as she urged him to tell her the truth.

"It's getting out of hand. Needs to stop." Gibbs shrugged, setting his beer on the coffee table.

Abby was visibly taken aback, her mouth gaping slightly as she took in his meaning. "You mean we need to stop flirting because nothing will ever happen and I'm flogging a dead horse?" She swallowed the lump in her throat. She hadn't wanted to know how he'd felt if it meant knowing he didn't see her that way. She hadn't asked for this.

He didn't want to upset her. It had already gone too far; they shouldn't have even discussed it. But maybe now he could talk some sense into her. Maybe she would realize how terrible he was for her. "Shouldn't have been flirting to begin with, Abbs. It was stupid of me."

"Stupid because you led me on? Because I could never be one of the women in your life?" Abby set down her beer on the end table, no longer wanting it. "No, it was stupid of me." Abby walked quickly over to her shoes and pulled them on, grabbing her keys and bag that sat next to them. Her coat was laying across the back of the chair next to the door. She pulled it on as Gibbs stood to stop her.

"Abbs, it's late."

"I won't stay here if I'm suddenly inappropriate, and embarrassing. Sorry, Gibbs."

"Don't apolo-"

"Yeah, I know, Gibbs. Don't apologize, it's a sign of weakness. I'll take that any day over basically being told that I'm embarrassing myself by flirting with someone who would never want me." Abby opened the door to a much larger pile of snow than either had expected.

Abby sighed at the sight of the piled up snow, and mumbled to herself, "The one time it snows on Christmas Eve in Virginia…"

"Abby, the roads aren't clear yet. You'll get into an accident."

"I feel like I'm already in an accident." Abby shook her head and tentatively stepped out, her boot sinking a good five or six inches down to the porch, forcing snow to rise up to her ankle and spill into her sock. She winced at the painful cold seeping into her foot, but continued on, trudging slowly down each step.

"Abbs…" Gibbs' voice was softer.

Abby didn't turn around, but kept marching through the snow, creating a deep path down the stairs and over the camouflaged path.

Gibbs stared at her retreating figure, trying to figure out whether to admit his real reasons behind wanting the flirting to end, or if she would give in and turn back after realizing she wouldn't be able to drive the hot rod through the snow.

But Abby didn't turn around, and Gibbs didn't admit his feelings for her.

And Abby slowly pulled away, the wheels of the hot rod crunching over the tracks that remained from hours earlier.

**Shortest chapter yet, I know. I'm gonna start working on (and potentially finish) the next one tonight. And at least I have off work tomorrow, so I'll have time to write. Reviews are love :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm on a roll tonight. Last one til tomorrow though. Gettin' tired… headed to bed now. Reviews are love.**

Abby was halfway to her apartment, and it had taken her thirty minutes instead of the eight minutes that it usually took to get this far. The roads were eerily abandoned, the night so silent that it began to scare Abby. It was past seven now, and pitch black. The headlights of the hot rod reflected off the snow that sliced towards the ground rapidly. The snow had picked up since she had left Gibbs' house, and she almost regretted leaving.

"Stupid, stupid snow. I love snow, but _this. This_ is not cool. Not cool! Maybe I should've stayed." Abby thought back to their conversation. "No, it's a good thing I left. Gibbs clearly doesn't feel the same way I feel." Everything was beginning to sink in; Abby was beginning to realize what the consequences could be from all of it. "I'll probably have to quit NCIS. How can I face him everyday? Especially after leaving so late when it's snowing so hard."

Abby's phone rang, playing the ringtone that she had assigned to Gibbs. She ignored the call and sighed loudly, shaking her head at the mess she'd made. "Some Christmas _this_ was. Thanks a lot, Santa."

Gibbs sat on the couch, Rudolph playing on the television, though his mind was far from watching the red-nosed reindeer. It had been half an hour since Abby had driven off, in such a hurry she hadn't bothered to get her clothes or baking tools. It was his fault she was driving in the snow. He doubted that she was home by now. Not as slow as she was driving when she'd turned off his street.

He didn't blame her for not answering her phone, but he still wished she would answer just to tell him she was okay. The beer she had left still sat, mostly likely now warm, on the end table. His had been drained long before, just after she'd driven off. Another song was playing on Rudolph now, and the cheerfulness was annoying him. Gibbs stood and walked to the television, flipping it off quickly before he turned and headed to the basement.

He had just started on a new boat. There hadn't been much inspiration for it; now it was just something to do to pass the time. But in the last week it had begun to morph into something with a purpose. Something Abby would like, and would want to sail on with him. He had come down with the purpose of working on the boat and getting things off his mind, but now, being next to the boat that he had hoped she would one day use, it just made him worry about her more.

Gibbs pulled a piece of sand paper off a shelf and got to work on a piece of the boat, trying to shove that nagging feeling from his gut.

Abby had probably only gone a mile or so in the last five minutes. The wind kept picking up, just to die down again and all it succeeded in doing was to swirl the snow around even more. She had at least another twenty minutes ahead of her before she got home. The next turn was coming up, so she tapped the brakes lightly so that she could slow down without losing control. But just as she touched the brakes, the hot rod suddenly lost all traction as she hit a large patch of black ice, still in the process of freezing over as the temperature dropped further with the deepening of night.

Abby screamed, taking her foot off the brake to keep from making it worse. She attempted to steer the car so that it stayed straight, but instead it turned quickly around so that she was facing the opposite way on the road as the car continued to glide across the road. "Oh, I'm sorry, Gibbs!" Abby yelled as the car tumbled backward into a ditch.

Gibbs tried Abby's cell for a second time. He'd already waited longer than usual. After the first unanswered call, along with his gut feeling, he would already have left to go looking for her. Why did he have to push her away? If they hadn't had a fight… or, if he had admitted everything before she'd left. He snapped his phone shut as Abby's voicemail came on after several rings.

Within minutes Gibbs was in full winter garb, trudging towards his old F250 to begin the search for Abby.

Abby blinked as she regained consciousness, looking around to try to assess the damage. The back of the car seemed heavily buried in a snowdrift, the snow blocking her back doors and passenger door entirely, and reaching halfway past her own car door. She groaned aloud and reached up to feel for any wounds and blood. Both hands came back clean, however, and Abby began to contemplate what to do next.

The car was no longer running and refused to start. "Great, probably knocked something lose." Abby considered the situation, "Well, at least I won't die of CO2 poisoning. Instead I'll freeze to death." Just the thought sent a vicious shiver down through her body. With a quick movement, Abby unlocked her car door and began to shove against the snow that blocked her in. She struggled against the heavy snow as the door only pushed it away inches at a time. Abby had cleared about a six inch path between the snow and the door when the wind suddenly picked up, blowing snow into the car and all around her, catching on her clothes and hair, and on the seats of the car. The wind howled with one great final push before dying down again; but in that last push the tree that bent over her car released the collection of snow held on its branches and Abby had only enough time to close the door before the entire door was encased in it.

Abby stared in disbelief at the wall of white in front of her. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took several deep breaths, attempting to calm herself down. "Okay, Abby, think…think." Her eyes flickered open to look towards the windshield, which remained mostly uncovered by the snow. "Alright…if I were to break that windshield, I would need something heavy enough to break it, and I would need something over top of me to protect me when the glass breaks and falls back this way." She talked herself through it aloud, finding her own voice reassuring in the still silence.

Leaning back over her seat, she began to search the floor for anything heavy enough to break the windshield.

Gibbs had only managed to get a few miles in the last ten minutes. The back roads were worsening though it seemed like some of the main roads were beginning to get plowed. He finally pulled on to the main road that took him to Abby's, and was able to move much faster towards his intended destination. Gibbs was almost halfway to her apartment now, though it had been almost twenty minutes since he'd left the house. All he could hope was that he would make it all the way there to find her car in the apartment parking lot.

Abby was curled up in the driver's seat, her arms wrapped around her as she shivered. With trembling fingers she lifted her phone again, pressing the speed dial button that would connect her with Gibbs. But once more the call refused to go through, the signal not strong enough to make it through the horrendous weather. She dropped the phone on to the seat next to her and pulled her arms tighter around her knees, which were squished against her chest as she attempted to create warmth. Leaning her head back against the head rest, Abby began to cry, thinking of the fight she'd had with Gibbs. He didn't feel the same way, and she'd ruined everything they had as friends, as family. She would die estranged from the man who was everything to her. She would die with Gibbs angry at her. But worst of all, she would die with the truth. That she was not even worthy of being one of the many Women of Gibbs. If only she had never wished to know. If only she had never asked.


	6. Chapter 6

**I may be able to whip up another chapter tonight as I don't work until 4pm tomorrow. We'll see how kind my muses are. **

The snow had lightened up, and was now gracefully gliding from the sky as Gibbs drove slowly on a side road to Abby's apartment. The roads here had not yet be touched, and it looked like no one had come through in at least an hour. From the truck cab, Gibbs looked around on either side of the road to see if he could spot where a car might have gone off into the snow. He hated to admit that was what he was looking for, but he knew it was better to assume the worst.

Gibbs saw the road glisten ahead of him, so he let his foot off the accelerator and eased around the large patch, into the other lane. Just as he past the ice he spotted a flash of bright red from the side of the road, almost entirely buried in snow. He braked lightly, anxious for the truck to stop, but knowing he shouldn't slam on the brakes and potentially end up in the ditch as well. The front end of a very familiar car stuck up toward the road. Gibbs left the truck running, shoved the door to the cab open and leapt down, running through the snow drift.

Abby was still in the same spot she'd been in since she'd tried to call Gibbs. Tears still streamed down her cheeks, succeeding in only making her colder as they took on the car's freezing temperature. Every few minutes Abby glanced at her phone, hoping to see new bars appear that would show she could make an outgoing call.

"Gibbs will find me. Yes, that's exactly what will happen. Gibbs will rescue me and…" Abby sobbed, cutting herself off. "No, he won't! Because I ruined everything!" Abby reached into her dashboard and found a stray napkin to blow her nose on. Taking deep breaths she tried to talk some sense into herself. "No, Gibbs will find me. Because Gibbs will always protect me, even if he doesn't feel the same. And Gibbs' gut will be telling him that something is wrong. Because somehow he always knows. And his lack of feelings won't keep him from rescuing me with that gut of his." Abby steadied her disjointed breathing, but began to cry once more, the tears cascading rapidly down her face. "I'll have to face Gibbs as my rescuer, knowing that he thinks I'm some silly, lovesick little girl. Maybe it's better if he doesn't rescue me." She shivered suddenly, as if the cold hit her with more force. Burying her face into her curled up body, she whispered to herself, "Gibbs, why am I so stupid?"

The car was surrounded by a thick wall of snow that caused Gibbs to turn around and run back to the truck, plucking a shovel from the bed. He shoveled the snow from the driver's side, tossing it haphazardly behind him so that it was out of the way.

Gibbs yelled toward the car as he shoveled, "Abbs!?" He strained to listen for Abby's voice as he continued to shovel, hoping that she was still conscious and hadn't been injured when the car had hit the embankment. If only he had forced her to stay. Or if he had grown a pair and told her how he really felt. Shoving the thoughts from his mind, Gibbs tried to focus on the snow in front of him. He glanced the top edge of the car window and threw the shovel aside, falling to his hands and knees on top of the snow pile. "Abbs!?" He yelled again into the car as he shoved snow away from the door handle.

Abby was drifting off, still shivering as she tried to sink further into the cloth seat to keep warm. "Gibbs…" She mumbled in her sleepy state. "Mmm…Gibbs…wish you loved me." Her eyes were closed and her lips were a sickly blue that shone through the lipstick that had rubbed off as her tears had come to rest on her lips.

Gibbs was yelling her name as he yanked on the handle, trying to get the frozen door to release from the door jam. After several attempts the door flew open violently with the force of the pull and Gibbs reached in and picked Abby up, cradling her as he pulled her from the car and carried her carefully through the snow and to his truck. She began to mutter as he laid her on the passenger seat.

"Gibbs, need phone…purse…" Abby was half awake and trying to lift her arm to point back to her car.

"Alright, Abbs. Be right back." Gibbs' voice was quiet and soothing to Abby.

"Mmm…Gibbs…so sexy." Abby murmured in her daze, "Can't have him. So sexy."

Gibbs was already back with her things by the time she drifted out entirely, sleeping against the window.

"Abbs, come on, wake up." Gibbs shook her lightly as he began to turn back towards his house. "Abbs, you need to stay awake. You're going to need to warm up at the house."

"No, Gibbs mean. Abby tired." Abby tried to shove his hand off of her but only succeeded in waving her arm around before she let it drop to her side.

"Not tired, Abbs, hypothermic. Come on, sit up." Gibbs pulled her arm so that she was sitting upright next to him.

She immediately started to slink back towards the seat, whining, "No, tired."

Gibbs pulled her up close next to him as he drove so that she was sitting up, pressed against his body.

"Mm…Gibbs." She leaned over and cuddled up into his side, wrapping her arms around him. "Nice pillow." Her voice was soft and dreamy as she slipped in an out of consciousness.

He continued to hold her up against him as he drove, trying to think of ways to keep her awake so that getting her warmed up once in the house would be easier. "Abby, tell me about Death Plastic's Christmas album. What's your favorite song?"

"It's Plastic Death, and favorite song is Holly Jolly…I told you that…" she slurred a little as she swatted at him at if playfully smacking him for asking her a question he knew the answer to.

"How does it go? Sing some."

Abby tried to hum a tune that sounded like a drunk singing _Have a Holly Jolly Christmas._ "Best time…th' year…" Her version had sharper beats to it, but Gibbs wasn't sure if that was from the cold, or if it was the actual version of the song.

"By golly…jolly..holly…" Abby was nodding off again.

"Abbs, keep singing. We only have a few minutes to go and then we'll be in the house. I'll turn the heat up for you and wrap you in a bunch of blankets, okay?" Gibbs was trying to shove aside how worried he felt so that he could focus. He always protected Abby, had always demanded that everyone protect Abby. But he realized now that there was one thing he could not protect her from: and that was him.

Abby was mumbling the lyrics to a metal version of _All I Want for Christmas is You_ when Gibbs turned into his driveway, and threw the truck into park. He flicked the keys and jerked them from the ignition.

"Come on, Abby, let's get in the house." His tone was demanding, as he attempted to rile her from her sleep.

"Mmmkay." Abby slid across the cab seat and fell into Gibbs' outstretched arms. Picking her up, along with her purse and phone, which she began to demand in her stupor, he leaned against the truck door to shut it and stamped through the snow and up into the warm house.


	7. Chapter 7

Abby was whining for sleep, trying to lie down on the couch as Gibbs peeled her coat off of her. "Need to get into warm clothes. Can't do this on my own."

Without responding Abby peeled off the thin shirt that she was wearing and threw it to the living room floor listlessly.

Gibbs ignored the fact that she was now almost topless in front of him, and worked on getting her to remove the freezing pants. "Abbs, I have some sweats here for you, but you need to get the rest of your clothes off. Can you do that?"

Abby nodded tiredly, struggling to keep her eyes open. She moved her hands across her belt buckle, trying desperately to undo it, but without much success. Gibbs set her hands aside and began undressing her himself, feeling her unnaturally cold skin against his hand as he brushed her stomach while unbuttoning her black jeans. He tugged on the bottoms of the pants, bringing them to the floor and revealing the lacy black, skull-covered panties she wore underneath. Had he not been so focused on getting her warm, he would have chuckled at the expected design on her underwear.

"Abbs, need you to take off your bra and panties. I'll hold up some clothes and help you get into them."

Once again, without saying anything, Abby nodded and began to unhook her bra while Gibbs readied his red hoodie for her to tug over her head. Slowly Abby was re-dressed in a pair of new panties Gibbs found in her bag, along with some of her own pajama pants paired with his hoodie, which seemed warmer than any shirt she had brought with her. Satisfied that her outfit was warm enough, Gibbs let her lie down on the couch as he ran upstairs to grab several blankets from the hall closet where he kept the few linens he owned.

Within moments he was back downstairs, wrapping Abby in the three blankets he'd found on the shelf. "Abbs…?" Gibbs sat on the edge of the couch, "Are you warm enough?"

"Warm?" Abby muttered from her sleep. "Mmm… Gibbs warm."

Gibbs sighed at her state, wondering if he should have canceled after all. If she never had come… But then she would have been alone and might have tried to come over in the bad weather anyway. Gibbs had failed her. And if this was how he failed her when she didn't know how he felt, how badly would he fail her if she did know how he felt?

Abby woke a couple of hours later, around ten. The house was silent.

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah, Abbs."

She realized he was sitting in the chair next to her, camouflaged by the darkness. He stood and walked to the couch, sitting on the edge by her feet. "How do you feel?"

"Okay. A little tired." Embarrassed. Heartbroken. Abby sighed inwardly, trying to take on so much at once with her waking.

"You should eat something. I have soup." Gibbs was halfway across the room before Abby could think to respond.

"Gibbs, I don't want any soup."

He turned to look over at her, "You need something warm in you."

Abby opened her mouth to say something, but closed it quickly. Couldn't say things like that anymore. She decided to ask for something else instead. "Do you have hot chocolate?"

Gibbs nodded and disappeared into the kitchen.

While he was gone she sat and tried to wrap her mind around what had happened that evening. Her only options now were to either quit NCIS and cease contact with Gibbs forever, try to talk to him about it and make it better, or pretend like it never happened. She doubted she'd be able to cease contact with Gibbs, so that was out. Trying to talk to him would be tricky. Gibbs said very little as it was, so to get him to open up about anything that could be conceived as intimate would be harder than getting all of the team to attend a marathon metal concert with her – with all of them dressed up in goth clothes, no less. But could she go back to ignoring everything? Knowing that he knew everyday? Risking the chance that he would never again kiss her on the cheek or forehead?

"Here." Gibbs appeared and handed her a mug. "Careful, it's hot."

Abby held it cautiously by its handle, careful not to touch her fingers against the edge. "Thanks." She blew on the hot chocolate and sipped it slowly. "So are we planning on talking about it?"

Gibbs sat back in the chair he'd been in when she awoke. "There something to talk about?"

"I don't know. You tell me." Abby was too tired to go back and forth for too long, and she didn't feel much like carrying this conversation. For once, he was going to do it.

"Just said a professional tone is needed." Gibbs hoped she would leave it at that, preferring to keep any confrontation or problems under the surface. He didn't want to shove her away and cause her to hate him, but he also didn't want to start something with her that would also cause her to hate him, but for different reasons.

"We both know it's more than that, Gibbs." Abby pulled her knees to her chest underneath the blanket, still sipping the hot drink as she closed her eyes to keep from crying again.

"I don't know what to tell you, Abbs."

"Tell me…" Abby paused. That you love me, that you were wrong, that you're an idiot? What did she want to hear? What did she expect to hear? Instead of answering, she sighed, deeply frustrated with herself for ever starting any of it.

"I can tell you that it's not a good idea. That I'm trouble, and that I'm a bastard." Gibbs' voice was steady in his usual impervious-to-all-feelings way.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Abby snapped her eyes open and stared at him. "This is about me wanting something I can never have." She thought about what he'd said. "It is about me wanting something I can never have, isn't it?"

Gibbs didn't answer her, he simply looked right at her, his eyes narrowed slightly as he considered what to tell her.

"Gibbs…?" Abby prodded him on.

He stood once more, leaned over to kiss her forehead and began to walk towards the basement.

Abby's mind reeled as she processed what was happening, and suddenly, either from their fight, or from her exhaustion, or both, she turned quickly on the couch to face his back as it walked away from her. "No! Don't you go down there to hide! Answer me!" She'd had enough. Something was going to be decided tonight. Even if that meant the absolute destruction of her friendship with the man she loved.

Gibbs turned back around to face her, standing still in the spot as he thought through the possible consequences of each answer he could give her. "It's not about you wanting something you can't have, Abbs. It's about me wanting something I shouldn't have."

**I know; I'm a mean, mean person. I have to decide what I want to happen here - whether something would get through to Gibbs so quickly, or if it would need a little longer to simmer with him. Either way she did ask Santa for Gibbs for CHRISTMAS so it has to happen soon... just maybe not on Christmas Eve. :) **


	8. Chapter 8

**I have to wonder if Mark Harmon *knows* that he's narrowing his eyes **_**ever so slightly**_** when he hears certain news as Gibbs, or if it's an unconscious trait. I would imagine he has made it a thing for Gibbs, but still… mm sexy man. **

**Also, in this chapter, I am guessing on Pauley's height compared with Mark's, given the fact that she's usually wearing ridonklulus heels of some sort.**

**Last time:**_** Gibbs turned back around to face her, standing still in the spot as he thought through the possible consequences of each answer he could give her. "It's not about you wanting something you can't have, Abbs. It's about me wanting something I shouldn't have."**_

Abby set down the hot chocolate on the end table next to the couch. "What does that mean, Gibbs?" Her voice was a raspy whisper, hopeful of the answer, but terrified simultaneously.

Gibbs shook his head, as if convincing himself not to answer, "Nothin', Abbs."

"What does it mean?" Abby repeated herself, her voice now confident and demanding.

He cocked his head slightly to the side, his eyes narrowed as he considered her reaction, "It means the flirting has to stop before I'll do something I'll regret."

Abby's mind was spinning, trying to absorb what he was saying, her exhaustion shoved aside as she answered him, "And you'll regret this thing that you'll do because you won't really mean it or because it'll mean you've started something dangerous that you do want?"

Gibbs' demeanor was still calm and collected though on the inside his own mind was whirling, trying to figure out how badly this would end, how much Abby would hate him. "I'm a bastard, Abbs. You know that."

Abby stood cautiously, still facing Gibbs over the back of the couch as she walked slowly around it. "Stop saying that. I know what you are, and I'm still here. It's not about what you are, it's about what you want. What do you want, Gibbs?"

He sighed deeply, less from sadness, and more in preparation. "You, Abbs."

She breathed in abruptly in a sort-of gasp, unsure if she had heard him correctly. "Me? You want me?" She had to be sure. She needed confirmation that she had heard him right, that he meant what she thought he meant.

"Yeah. You." Gibbs stayed standing still, waiting to see what she would do, how she would react to his admission.

Abby stepped forward, closing the couple of feet of distance between them. She stood suddenly immediately in front of him, her true height obvious in her bare feet so that her head came only to his nose.

The pair stood there for a moment, watching each other as if expecting the other to react first. It was Gibbs that reached over slowly, wrapping one arm around her back as the other swept under her hair, his hand resting on the back of her head and neck. "Been you for a long time, Abby."

Gibbs' contact encouraged Abby to lean forward and bring her lips to his, tentatively kissing him as she hoped and prayed he would return the kiss.

Her prayers were unnecessary however, as Gibbs quickly kissed back, slowly and gently caressing her lips with his own, the tension building rapidly. They both broke apart, catching their breath from the sexual tension and desire that had filled the room around them.

Abby grabbed her head to stop the spinning that began as she pulled away from him.

"Need to rest more, Abbs." Gibbs' voice was quiet, though the deep tone of his voice resonated in her body, the nearness of him causing his voice to almost vibrate through her.

She tried to protest, but found herself too tired, "Yeah, okay, Gibbs."

Gibbs made a move to lead her back to the couch, but Abby resisted, "Gibbs, can we…I mean…I'd like…" Abby sighed. "I don't want to sleep on the couch alone."

He looked up towards the stairs, contemplating. "Okay." Gibbs turned to face the stairs, his arm still holding her loosely around her side. "You need help?"

Abby shook her head, careful not to make herself dizzy again, "I should be able to climb the stairs. Just…slowly."

A few minutes later Abby was curled up in the guest bed, the sheets Gibbs had just put on soft and fresh-smelling around her. "Gibbs?"

He stood next to the bed, "Yeah, Abbs?"

"Are you gonna…" Abby paused, thinking of the best way to put it, "Sleep?" She made a motion next to her.

"Gotta get changed." Gibbs nodded.

"Okay." Abby smiled slightly up at him, still nervous at how things could play out.

She was already asleep by the time he returned, having changed into sweat pants and a tee shirt. He knew he wasn't going to sleep, not well, anyway, but at least he could lie next to her, hearing her steady breathing and smelling her intoxicating shampoo, which he'd noticed so many times before when kissing her forehead in the lab. He slipped under the sheet and comforter and slid up next to her. In her sleep, she adjusted herself, allowing him to pull her into him as he wrapped his arms around her, fully enveloping her. Gibbs buried his face into her hair, allowing himself to relax.

Eventually, Gibbs slept, peacefully and deeply, next to Abby.

_**Super short, I know! I have closing shift tonight, and off tomorrow, so I should be able to write some more when I get home late tonight, since I write best at night. **_


	9. Chapter 9

Abby woke early the next morning to find the right side of the bed empty. She felt the sheets next to her and found that they were still warm. "Gibbs?" She glanced around the room and looked towards the bathroom, but found the door open and the room empty. Climbing carefully from the bed, unsure of how she would feel after the previous night's events, Abby made her way down the stairs, her nose suddenly treated to the smell of bacon.

"Mmm…yummy…" Abby shuffled into the kitchen where Gibbs stood over a frying pan. "Oh and there's bacon…also yummy."

Gibbs smirked at her. "Want eggs too?"

"You really did go shopping, wow." Abby snatched a piece of bacon off the paper towel-covered plate and chewed on it thoughtfully. "Yeah, scrambled please."

Gibbs smiled over at her. "Merry Christmas, Abbs."

"Merry Christmas, Gibbs." Abby sat at the kitchen table as she finished off the piece of bacon.

"Jethro." Gibbs removed the last piece of bacon from the pan and cracked a couple of eggs into it, shoving the spatula through the eggs to scramble them. "When we're alone, that is."

"Okay…Jethro." Abby smiled at him, happy that things were still the same as they'd left them the night before. She had been worried that he would have changed his mind again.

The two ate a quiet breakfast at the table, sitting across from each other with Abby's feet propped up in Gibbs' lap.

"Feeling better?" Gibbs swallowed some orange juice and took another bite of his eggs.

Abby nodded, swallowing another bite of bacon. "Yeah, sleep really helped." She paused and looked at him sheepishly. "I'm sorry I ran out of here last night. I shouldn't have tried to drive home in that snow. I should've known better. Especially since I'm not that experienced driving in snow."

"Should've told you the truth, Abbs." Gibbs shook his head. "Not your fault."

"But I shouldn't have gotten so mad, or jumped to conclusions. I never would've ended up in that ditch if I had just stayed. Even if I had locked myself in the guest room to avoid you that would've been better than trying to leave in a snowstorm." Abby sighed, looking down at her plate as she shoved the last of eggs around distractedly.

"Don't blame yourself. I would've done the same thing." Gibbs shrugged and set down his fork, his plate now empty. He reached down into his lap and started to rub Abby's feet. "Don't worry about it. You're safe, and here. All that matters."

"Oh, my car. I'd totally forgotten! Do I need to call to get someone to tow it? What do I do?"

"I doubt anyone's going to be available to tow it on Christmas Day. Plus calling someone tomorrow will give them more time to clear the snow off the roads."

Abby nodded, then moaned a little at her foot massage, Gibbs rubbing circles into the arch of her right foot with his thumbs. "If I'd known how good you were at this, I'd asked for this years ago."

"If I'd have done this years ago I imagine our relationship would have moved a lot faster." Gibbs gave her a mischievous half smile.

"Whose fault is that?" Abby rolled her eyes.

"Didn't know you felt the same."

"With your famous gut? Seriously?" She shook her head at him.

Instead of responding Gibbs simply tickled Abby's foot, causing her to squeal and pull her feet back underneath the table. "No fair! I highly doubt you're ticklish!"

"Gonna have to find out for yourself." He cocked his head to the left as if challenging her.

"Oh, really?" Abby stood slowly from the chair and sauntered over to him. She shoved the table back so that she stood immediately in front of Gibbs. Leaning forward she tried to tickle him under his arms, but he sat still with a slightly bemused expression on his face. "Or…maybe…_here_," she tried to surprise him by tickling his sides, but he continued to sit without flinching, watching her attempt to figure out if he was at all ticklish.

Abby stood back with a determined expression on her face, studying his body and where he might be ticklish. "I don't think you're at all ticklish. I think you're just having fun letting me touch you." She raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a dirty look.

"Could be." Gibbs shrugged with his right shoulder.

"Well…in that case…" Abby placed her hands on either of his shoulders and climbed onto his lap, straddling Gibbs and the chair. "If that's the kind of fun we're going to have, why not simplify?"

Gibbs placed his hands on her hips, pulling her closer against him. "Simple is good." He pulled her down to him so that their lips were at the same level, allowing him to press his lips against her's. Unlike their kiss yesterday, this one was urgent, faster and harder, with purpose. Abby parted her lips slightly allowing Gibbs to slip his tongue into her mouth as her hands found their way under his tee shirt and slid upward and around his back to rub against his skin and feel the smoothness and hardness of his muscles. She moaned, "Gibbs…Jethro…"

Gibbs stood, his hands lifting her up by her ass, as she wrapped her legs around his waist and shrieked with laughter. He kissed her again before moving his head down to her neck to kiss and suck at the skin. Carrying her as he bit down to leave his mark on her, the pair got closer to the stairs. Abby remained tightly anchored to his body as he climbed the stairs with her. He never failed to surprise her in how strong he was. Once a marine, always a marine.

He shoved the partially closed guest bedroom door open with his back and immediately made for the bed, lowering Abby gently onto it. Gibbs climbed onto the bed over top of her, lowering himself onto her body as he captured her lips again.

Abby yanked at his shirt until Gibbs pushed himself up onto his knees and pulled it off himself, throwing it to his side, somewhere on the floor. The hoodie of Gibbs' that Abby still wore from the previous night quickly followed and for the first time Gibbs was able to fully appreciate the topless woman beneath him. He traced his hand across her stomach and up across her right breast, circling around the outside of it and then again around her nipple.

Abby shivered from his light touch, letting out a light moan from the desire he roused in her. The pajama pants that Gibbs had helped her into the night before were shoved down her legs and were quickly kicked off onto the bottom edge of the bed. Immediately after, Abby tugged at his sweatpants, inviting him to show her more of him as well.

Kissing her deeply, Gibbs shucked his pants off, kicking them off the side of the bed where they joined their shirts in a growing pile. His hands traveled quickly across her body, trying to feel it all at once in an effort to memorize everything about her.

They pulled back for a moment, out of breath and he looked down at her, her black hair spilling over the pillow. "Point of no return. You sure?"

Abby didn't respond, but pulled him back down to her, kissing him fiercely.

The kiss ended and Gibbs nodded, "Alright then." With that, he lowered himself back to her, his body pressed tightly against her's as they kissed furiously.

**I know, I know...pure evil to stop here. I'm thinkin' there will be one more chapter, but I want to really take time to focus on writing it and seeing as how it's 3 AM right now and I'm nodding off... it's better to do that after I get up tomorrow. At least I have off work tomorrow so I won't have to try to write around my shift. :) Reviews are love. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Ya know how awkward it is to write this while you and your husband are stuck living in your parents' house while you save up money and pray for a job in your own field? Seriously? This is probably why I mostly write between the hours of 11pm and 3am…. Awkward turtle.**

** On an unrelated note – clearly the writers in LA have no idea what the weather is like in the state of Virginia, because they always show snow at Christmastime and that is sooo not Virginia. Even though NOVA (Northern Virginia) gets more snow that Central VA, they're showing way more snow than even they get. Snow is still a miraculous thing here in Virginia. (I can say this as I've lived in Central Virginia all my life). **

**Also: SUPER LONG CHAPTER AHEAD!  
**

Abby gasped in surprise as Gibbs' hand made its way down her body and slipped under the waistband of her panties. His fingers flicked at her clit for a moment before he slid a finger further down and into her, a smile lightly stretching across his face as he watched her writhe under him.

She made to pull him closer to her, but he resisted, lifting himself up further to watch her underneath him. "Jethro…" She moaned his name lightly, pleadingly. "I want you…inside me."

Gibbs shook his head briefly, "Want you to come first, Abbs."

Abby mused at his lack of words even in bed, but was quickly distracted as he slid another finger inside her, twisting his fingers around and making her hips twitch happily. Rubbing his fingers as far back as he could go, she moaned deeply, pushing her hips forward as she encouraged him to continue, practically purring under his touch. With his other hand, he reached down and stroked her clit simultaneously, emitting a low growl from Abby that made him chuckle.

"Don't tease me, Gibbs…" Abby groaned as his touch became feather-light.

"Jethro." He corrected her, smirking at her as she shoved her hips forward again in an attempt to make him go faster.

She groaned again in frustration, "Jethro…please…"

With a satisfied smile, Gibbs began to stroke her faster, increasing the pressure under his thumb as he flicked over her clit and massaged her with his other hand.

Abby ground her hips as he massaged her, whimpering faster as her climax built. "Jethro…Jethro…" She chanted his name softly in between whimpers before going silent, only concentrating on breathing as she let herself go, twisting and twitching as she reveled in the feel. Rather than let her go, Gibbs continued to stroke her clit, pulling his other hand from her to concentrate on his strokes. Abby writhed harder under him, the climax only building rather than subsiding. "Jethro! Oh my God…Jethro…" She drew his name out as her orgasm continued with his strokes until she could no longer breath, her heart pounding in her chest. Only then did he let go, instead stroking her hair as she settled under his touch.

Catching her breath she stared up at him, a look of wonder on her face, "Damn, Jethro."

He grinned down at her, another of the rare smiles she loved.

"If I'd known about _that_…our relationship would have seriously happened a long time ago. _That's_ what I've been missing all these years? Wow." Abby sighed with satisfaction, curling up against him as he settled next to her on the bed.

"Take some time to recover then." Gibbs nodded at her, happy just to have her in his arms.

"Oh, I can do better than that!" She crawled from his arms suddenly and still clad only in her panties, trotted happily over to her overnight bag. The wrapped present that Gibbs had ignored when he had pulled her clothes out the night before emerged with Abby's help. "Here! Merry Christmas, _Jethro." _She was really going to enjoy calling him by his first name.

The wrapped gift was flat, about a foot by almost a foot. He looked up at her curiously.

"Open it!" She nodded excitedly, as she hopped onto the bed, sitting up on her knees with enthusiasm.

Carefully unfolding the edge, he pulled the teddy bear and Santa wrapping paper off in a long stream until it separated entirely from the remaining paper. Ripping the rest off carefully, he flipped the gift over and stared at it silently.

Abby's grin faltered. "Do…do you like it?"

"Abbs…" Gibbs took a deep breath, blinking rapidly to keep from tearing up. In a large black and silver frame there was a drawing, matted in black with a silver inner-frame underneath. The drawing portrayed one of his favorite pictures of Shannon and Kelly, the two hugging each other on the beach, the sun high behind them and the wind blowing their hair to the side, partially covering parts of their face as they laughed.

"Do you remember Ned Quinn, the Vietnam Vet that we reunited with his daughter Melissa?"

Gibbs nodded, still studying the picture in front of him.

"I tracked him down and commissioned him to draw this. I hope you don't mind…I_ might_ have commandeered a picture that I found buried deep in your desk and copied it in my lab while you and the team were in the field one day. And then I _might _ have given that to Quinn. He's been showcasing his work at a local gallery, and was happy to give me an excellent rate on this. See, he signed it too…" Abby pointed at a small signature in the bottom right corner which Gibbs could make out as 'Edward Quinn.'

"I thought that picture had been moved…" Gibbs chuckled a bit to himself.

"Seriously? I thought I put it back just right. I even measured to see where it was in the drawer before I removed it!" Abby pondered her stealthy actions, wondering where she'd gone wrong.

Gibbs smirked at her. "Just that good, Abbs." He stood, adjusting his simple white boxer briefs. "Be right back." For the first time Abby got a good look at his body, really noticing the boxer briefs now that she wasn't distracted.

"I knew it was boxer briefs!" Abby laughed loudly as Gibbs vanished from the room, hearing him jog down the stairs, and then return quickly, jogging back up and into the room.

He was carrying a small wrapped package that was about half the size of the gift she'd given him, but just as flat.

"Here go. Merry Christmas, Abby." Gibbs sat down next to her on the bed, one leg bent into the other as he handed her the gift.

Abby smiled at the simple silver gift wrap, then giggled up at Gibbs and tore into the gift with fervor. She gasped with excitement as she realized the contents. "Jethro! This is… this is! Oh my goodness!"

"Happened to get backstage at that concert you had to miss a couple of months ago. One of the security guards who works at the Verizon Center owed me. You and I must have been thinkin' along the same lines giving each other framed gifts."

She held a black and white framed 8x10 photo of Plastic Death which had been signed with a silver sharpie.

"They also gave me these." Gibbs handed her tickets and backstage passes to their upcoming concert in Norfolk, when they circled back around on the last leg of the tour.

She squealed as she accepted the slips of thick paper, and leapt over at Gibbs, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. She pulled back and grinned at the tickets, "Oh, Gi – uh, Jethro." She laughed. "I really need to get used to that. Though by the time I do, I'll probably start slipping up and calling you Jethro at work. And then that could be bad because the team might suspect, though I would guess they'll figure it out eventually, cuz they are a crack team of investigators. Will Director Vance care, cuz technically I'm not directly underneath you –" she grinned mischievously for a moment, "though I was earlier. But, in terms of work, you are my boss, but technically _not_ my boss, so is it really an issue-"

Gibbs leaned over and kissed her, cutting off her rambling.

"Mm…" Abby moaned into him as he pulled back. "That's a much better way of getting me to stop babbling. Can we do that _all_ the time?"

"Not in the lab." Gibbs shook his head.

"Damn." Abby snapped her fingers with mock disappointment.

"Here, however…" He leaned towards her with a devilish grin, capturing her lips once more with his own. Breaking off from her, he picked up both of the Christmas presents and lightly placed them on the ground next to the bed.

Abby grinned at him and before he could lean over to her again, she jumped over at him, pushing him against the bed so that she straddled him. "Why, hello, Agent Gibbs." She wagged her right eyebrow at him, her voice lower and raspier than usual.

"Never thought I'd find my title so sexy. Especially with a woman in control."

Abby was about to start to explain that she wasn't actually a dom, that she had just gone with the moment, but she stopped herself and decided not to break the moment. Instead she stood over top of him, slid her panties down to her ankles, and lightly stepped out of them, kicking them to one side with her foot.

Gibbs watched the woman over him with a gleam of desire in his eye. He had always loved how out there and independent and brilliant she was, and now, in this moment, she was even sexier. He'd never thought he'd be here with her, naked and willing. And for the first time in a long time he was able to shove aside the nagging thoughts of what a bastard he was, and how badly he could and would hurt her. For now, he was here, waiting for her.

Abby propped herself back on her knees, pulling his boxer briefs down and grinning at his erection. She reached under the pillow next to him and produced a small bottle of lube.

With a raised eyebrow he shot her a questioning look.

She shrugged, "I might have slipped it under the pillow when I got your present. I packed hoping for a Christmas miracle."

"Glad you did."

Squeezing some from the tube she warmed it in her hands and began to rub it up and down his shaft, smiling as he moaned softly at her touch.

"Wanted this for so long, Abbs."

Her smile broadened as she felt her heart leap into her throat. Abby wanted to tease him longer, pleasure him as she had been pleasured, but Gibbs didn't feel the same. Before she realized what was happening Gibbs had flipped her over onto her back so he was straddling her.

"You are so sexy when you do that." Abby stared up at him, growing wet again after her first orgasm.

Gibbs gently stroked her face, "And you are so beautiful. You know that?"

She didn't answer, just smiled up at him.

Gibbs pressed himself against her, sliding his hands over his breasts as he leaned down and licked and sucked on her right nipple, his erection twitching from the moan she let out at the feel. He rubbed himself up against her thighs, feeling her open her legs wider for him.

"Please, Jethro." Abby pleaded with him with a moan.

He pushed himself slowly into her, wanting to go slowly so he didn't hurt her, and wanting to savor the moment of their first time together. She let out a gasp of pleasure, thrusting her hips upward to take him in further. They moved together, each trying to touch the other all over to memorize the feel of their bodies. Abby leaned into his neck as he stayed close to her, moving with quick, tiny thrusts. Placing her mouth over his neck, she sucked lightly for a moment before biting lightly, worried of making marks that might be seen at work.

Gibbs pulled himself away, wanting to overtake her and make her come again. He took his turn sucking on her neck, but harder and with more force behind it, aware that she could easily cover it up, and sure she had before in the past.

Abby gasped for air, out of breath from the pleasure engulfing her senses. "Jethro…I'm gonna…gonna…" She thrashed underneath him, giving in to the immense wave that flooded over her. She moaned his name, the sound fluctuating slightly as she twitched from the resonating force.

As she began to relax, he thrust faster, allowing his climax to build. Abby moved with him, encouraging his own orgasm as she pulled him to her, kissing him forcefully. Gibbs thrust deeply as he went over the brink, spilling into her with a shudder.

The two laid together for a moment, breathing heavily and trying to steady their rapid heartbeats. Abby looked over at Gibbs as he moved to lay next to her on the bed. She began to tell him that she loved him, but stopped herself, pondering how far they still had to go. Instead she looked over at him, pushing a piece of hair from out of her face. "You were my Christmas wish, by the way."

"I know."

Abby's expression was one of confusion and wonder, "You do?"

"Came over to surprise you. Heard everything."

"Everything?" Abby raised an eyebrow.

"Your admission of feelings for someone you thought saw you as a daughter."

"Oh. _Everything_. Gotcha." She smiled to herself as she buried her face in his chest, trying not to let him see it.

"Why? Was there something else?" Gibbs' voice vibrated into her.

Trying not to laugh, she shook her head a bit, still curled against him. "No. Not a thing."

She'd wait and see just how Tony and Ziva's holiday went before she admitted to Gibbs that just before leaping off Santa's lap she'd made an additional, whispered wish that no one else had heard. Santa had made Gibbs give in to her. She was sure he could work his magic with the two of them.

She giggled to herself as she glanced up at him, ignoring the strange look he gave her as they lay cuddled together under the comforter.

**Do I sense a parallel story!? JUST MAYBE! Thanks everyone for you lovely reviews and follows and favorites. I am greatly honored.**

**EDIT: Okay, that was fast. Now see my PARALLEL STORY called "Miracle on 12th St" which focuses on Tony and Ziva. First few chapters already posted.  
**


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